Phones 2nd Half 2016 - Which top phones on your radar ?

[MRU]

Who are you and what have you done with MRU?

But joking aside, yeah, there's nothing very appealing for the remainder of the year. Frankly, I didn't think much was appealing post-S7 Edge. Only the Pixel phones remain to be seen. And Google's smartwatches will be interesting, too, for sure.

Otherwise, I have my sights set on the S8...

Lol I know.

The NOTE 7 issues have put me off - indeed I was having second thoughts regarding GG5 / scratches before the whole recall ...

The iPhone 7 just doesn't offer me enough to justify more money

Motorola Z not a fan

LG V20 - LG's software makes it a near impossible sale to me and likewise

Sony - seem to have disintegrated into producing parodied versions of their own handsets

---

Google Pixel may be interesting but .... that leaked design likewise does nothing for me.

So yeah ... here we are. Without much interest in the rest of the year device wise and it feels really strange .... really really strange....

 

[tbayrgs]

Lol I know.

The NOTE 7 issues have put me off - indeed I was having second thoughts regarding GG5 / scratches before the whole recall ...

The iPhone 7 just doesn't offer me enough to justify more money

Motorola Z not a fan

LG V20 - LG's software makes it a near impossible sale to me and likewise

Sony - seem to have disintegrated into producing parodied versions of their own handsets

---

Google Pixel may be interesting but .... that leaked design likewise does nothing for me.

So yeah ... here we are. Without much interest in the rest of the year device wise and it feels really strange .... really really strange....

I've come to realize I'm solely either an iPhone or Google made phone guy. I know it doesn't matter to many others but I love being at the front of the line for software updates...much cheaper way to often get what feels like a new phone than buying new hardware. Thanks to Nougat, I now have renewed interest in exploring what I can do with my 6P--same goes for iOS 10 on my 6S+. I also want absolutely nothing to do with carriers controlling any aspect of my phone.

So if the new iPhones or Google phones don't peek my interest, nothing else really catches my eye.

 

[Vegastouch]

I've come to realize I'm solely either an iPhone or Google made phone guy. I know it doesn't matter to many others but I love being at the front of the line for software updates...much cheaper way to often get what feels like a new phone than buying new hardware. Thanks to Nougat, I now have renewed interest in exploring what I can do with my 6P--same goes for iOS 10 on my 6S+. I also want absolutely nothing to do with carriers controlling any aspect of my phone.



So if the new iPhones or Google phones don't peek my interest, nothing else really catches my eye.

Yeah but the Nexus 5, though a decent phone IMO is inferior to the Galaxy phones so I'm.mot interested in them any longer. Updates....I'll get them eventually. If my phone /tablet is running good, I'm fine with what it has.

 

[epicrayban]

I have high hopes for the Pixel phones mainly because of Nougat. I'm very eager to use the alt-tab feature in Nougat. It's something I know I'll use all the time cause I do usually switch between two apps mostly. It's also something MKBHD says he uses a lot in his Nougat video. And Nougat does look awesome -- it's finally getting the features it's been missing that other OEM skins have had.

However, the Pixel phones have to at least start at the right place. As I said in the Nexus/Pixel thread, it has to at least be on par in the hardware basics. They have to nail the camera, design, and screen. These are all class-leading areas with my S7 Edge that I am not willing to give up easily. It'd be a bonus if waterproofing and wireless charging somehow make it, too, but I'm doubtful on those. I would consider trading those convenient features for security/software updates if they can get those other priorities on par first.

If they can pull that off, then I'll seriously consider it.

 

[epicrayban]

Iphone 7 selling like hotcakes.
[doublepost=1473429325][/doublepost]

I've come to realize I'm solely either an iPhone or Google made phone guy. I know it doesn't matter to many others but I love being at the front of the line for software updates...much cheaper way to often get what feels like a new phone than buying new hardware. Thanks to Nougat, I now have renewed interest in exploring what I can do with my 6P--same goes for iOS 10 on my 6S+. I also want absolutely nothing to do with carriers controlling any aspect of my phone.

So if the new iPhones or Google phones don't peek my interest, nothing else really catches my eye.

How's the alt tab thing in Nougat? I'm surprised more people running Nougat aren't talking about it.

 

[tbayrgs]

Iphone 7 selling like hotcakes.
[doublepost=1473429325][/doublepost]


How's the alt tab thing in Nougat? I'm surprised more people running Nougat aren't talking about it.

It's a very nice feature but tbh, never found switching between apps quickly too troublesome, especially in iOS. A Force Touch press from the left edge brings you to the last app you were using. And if I have navigated directly to another app using a link or the Laucher Widget, on iOS you can immediately return to the previous app with a touch to the top left corner.

It's a nice addition to Android though for sure. My favorite changes in Nougat are the navigation panel and immediately available actions as well as how multiple notifications from the same app are grouped together, as well as the granular notification setttings available via the System UI Tuner.

 

[epicrayban]

It's a very nice feature but tbh, never found switching between apps quickly too troublesome, especially in iOS. A Force Touch press from the left edge brings you to the last app you were using. And if I have navigated directly to another app using a link or the Laucher Widget, on iOS you can immediately return to the previous app with a touch to the top left corner.

It's a nice addition to Android though for sure. My favorite changes in Nougat are the navigation panel and immediately available actions as well as how multiple notifications from the same app are grouped together, as well as the granular notification setttings available via the System UI Tuner.

I was a bit blown away by how much you can do from the notification shade in MKBHD's Nougat video.

Nice stuff. I'm rooting for the Pixel phones.

 

[AppleRobert]

Lol I know.

The NOTE 7 issues have put me off - indeed I was having second thoughts regarding GG5 / scratches before the whole recall ...

The iPhone 7 just doesn't offer me enough to justify more money

Motorola Z not a fan

LG V20 - LG's software makes it a near impossible sale to me and likewise

Sony - seem to have disintegrated into producing parodied versions of their own handsets

---

Google Pixel may be interesting but .... that leaked design likewise does nothing for me.

So yeah ... here we are. Without much interest in the rest of the year device wise and it feels really strange .... really really strange....

For starters, what about the camera on the iPhone 7 and the screen being "the best display".

http://www.slashgear.com/iphone-7-display-updated-best-on-any-smartphone-07455135/

And better battery life, better audio, etc. etc.

I am interested in checking out the new iPhone asap, isn't like there is a killer upcoming smartphone soon that is much better.

 

[MRU]

For starters, what about the camera on the iPhone 7 and the screen being "the best display".

http://www.slashgear.com/iphone-7-display-updated-best-on-any-smartphone-07455135/

And better battery life, better audio, etc. etc.

I am interested in checking out the new iPhone asap, isn't like there is a killer upcoming smartphone soon that is much better.

Had they upgraded the iPhone 7 screen to 1080p (it more than the + model needs a resolution bump) then I'd have been tempted. A few extra nits and wider colour gamut manifesting itself as more saturation just isn't enough for me.

Likewise if the 7 had got the dual camera as it's sibling I would be tempted. But seeing as it's essentially a similar 12 mp camera and I have no issues with my existing 6S camera, for me it's just not a major update.

The stereo speakers are nice to have and extra battery life, but seeing as I already get a days usage out of my 6S what difference does having a few extra % remaining left on my battery make when I put it on charge.

And honestly whilst it's nice they ditched the 16gb - I would have bought 64gb. 128 is too much space for my needs and given price of the devices have increased €70-90 this year on average here, i would have preferred them to keep the 64b option and remove that price increase.

Finally as IOS 10 GM is working great on my 6S as is, I'm not missing anything there software wise.

 

[mi7chy]

For starters, what about the camera on the iPhone 7 and the screen being "the best display".

http://www.slashgear.com/iphone-7-display-updated-best-on-any-smartphone-07455135/

And better battery life, better audio, etc. etc.

The claim of best display is coming from the Courages Phil Shiller's mouth. We have to wait to see what Displaymate says.

Audio is not better. It's reusing the call speaker so the sound will be unbalanced with bottom speaker side firing and call speaker front firing.

 

[epicrayban]

Likewise if the 7 had got the dual camera as it's sibling I would be tempted.

This is such a sore point in the smaller model iPhone. This is one methodology I hope Samsung never adopts for their S and S Edge line.

The discrepancy in screen resolution and RAM between the two models is a shame, too. Again, the S7 and S7E both sport the same resolution and RAM (in fact, the S7's smaller screen actually makes the DPI higher). Of course, we know with the A10 and iOS, the iPhone 7 is still mostly fine with its 2GB of RAM. And the lower screen resolution isn't a dealbreaker. But the discrepancy in the camera, I think, is the bigger crime.

It sucks that in order to get the premiere new feature of the iPhone 7 (the dual camera), you have to fork up the money and deal with the larger size. And worse, it actually isn't even getting the software it needs to fully take advantage of said double camera until later in the year.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

My second half of the year is sorted, just upgraded to a 64gb iPhone 6S in Space Grey.

 

[epicrayban]

Wow, the carriers are offering free trade ins for the iPhone 7 if you bring in a 6 or 6s.

Have they done this before? A full trade in without extra money? Pretty amazing offer, I think.

 

[spinedoc77]

Wow, the carrier's are offering free trade ins for the iPhone 7 if you bring in a 6 or 6s.

Have they done this before? A full trade in without extra money? Pretty amazing offer, I think.

Yeah I'm pissed, sold my wifes old non S iPhone for $300 and thought it was a good deal. Now I find Verizon is giving $650 back for it. Heck I sold my Note 5 for $350 and Verizon would have given me $650 as well. Oh well.

 

[epicrayban]

Bummer:

https://www.macrumors.com/2016/09/09/dual-camera-iphone-2017/


Dual Rear Camera Likely to Remain Exclusive to High-End iPhones in 2017

 

[epicrayban]

http://www.phonearena.com/news/NY-T...-screen-front-and-virtual-home-button_id85385

NY Times: Apple's next iPhone to come with all-screen front and virtual home button

 

[tbayrgs]

The prospects for Android Wear not looking terrific at the moment:

Google's biggest Android Wear partners don't have plans for new watches this year

It's also troubling that Android Wear 2.0 is expected to be released this fall and apparently Google's biggest smartwatch partners don't have plans to release new devices with the software. While there have been rumors of a Nexus smartwatch, I doubt Google expected the only major Android Wear hardware we may see this year to come from within its walls.

 

[epicrayban]

The prospects for Android Wear not looking terrific at the moment:

Google's biggest Android Wear partners don't have plans for new watches this year

Google's Android Wear software is rather boring, too. I much prefer (from what I've seen) Samsung's implementation. The S3 Frontier is the first smartwatch, both in design and software and features, that I've been remotely interested in. Even so, I likely won't adopt.

I won't deny that if the Pixel smartwatches from Google are impressive, they could influence my next smartphone decision. If I venture into smartwatch territory, I would prefer having it teamed up with the same OEM's phone.